Simmons, John - Corp

Posted December 5th, 2011 by Linda Horton

PIEDMONT SOLDIER KILLED IN HONOLULU

Young South Carolinian Loses Life From Explosion of Hand Grenade at Fire School.

Honolulu, Feb. 28.—Corporal John Simmons of Piedmont, S. C., was instantly killed, Capt. Peter Sorenson and Lieut. W. Hanna were injured seriously and three other officers received slight injuries from the explosion of a grenade at the school of fire, Schofield barracks, today.

The explosion was said to be due to the presence of a live bomb in a box supposed to contain dummies.

In Army Several Years.

Special to The State.

Anderson, Feb. 28.—John Simmons, who was killed by an explosion in Honolulu, was 21 years of age and entered the army before he was 18. He served in the infantry and had been located at Honolulu since his enlistment. His father, John L. Simmons, lives at Piedmont and is a clerk in Jackson Brothers’ store. Mr. Simmons stated over the telephone to The State’s correspondent tonight that the only information he had received of his son’s death came to him through the Associated Press. He knows no particulars. Corporal Simmons lived for a while at Enoree and after moving to Piedmont was employed for a while in the Piedmont Mills. He enlisted from Piedmont. He is survived by his father, four sisters and two brothers. They reside at Piedmont, Enoree and Greer.